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  The
unique and magnetic attraction of Kerala, "God's
own country", is centered around its mountain
regions, the highland area in the Western Ghats,
in which the exquisite and alluring plantation district
of Central Travancore is located. The area is one
of the most beautiful and scenic parts of the Western
Ghats. Crops grown in this area are tea, coffee,
pepper, vanilla and cardamom. The important plantation
towns are Peermade, Vandiperiyar and Elappara.
Central Travancore boasts of many places of tourist
interest of international fame and occupies a pride
of place on the tourist map of Kerala. Thekkady,
India's largest wildlife sanctuary, the Periyar
Wildlife Sanctuary spread over an area of 777 sq
km is surrounded by an artificial lake extending
over an area of 25 sq km. The sanctuary has been
declared a tiger reserve. The world famous Idukki
arch dam is located adjacent to this sanctuary.
The estates are situated at an elevation varying
from 750 m to 1350 m above mean sea level. Annual
rainfall ranges from a minimum of 200 cm in the
Vandiperiyar area to a maximum of 600 cm in the
Peermade zone. The average minimum temperature is
in the range of 18 to 20º C but can drop to
about 7º C during winter months.
The Regional Centre was established in 1964 to cater
to the needs of the tea planters in Vandiperiyar
and Peermade region. Prolonged soil moisture stress
and havoc caused by dry weather pests are characteristics
of Central Travancore region. This centre advises
the estates and small growers on all aspects of
tea cultivation with special reference to pest management.
Laboratory of this regional centre contains all
necessary equipments needed for analysis of soils
and fertilizers. A number of experiments relating
to screening of tea clones/ biclonal progenies,
rationalisation of fertiliser inputs, crop loss
due to major pests and evaluation of cultural/chemical
and biological methods for the control of major
pests are being conducted.
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